North Carolina will welcome back one of its top defenders this week but will be without its starting fullback for the rest of the season.
Charles Brown, a senior cornerback, will be eligible to play in Saturday's home game against Rutgers after sitting out last week's opener for his role in the two investigations into the football program last year.
Devon Ramsay, a senior fullback, tore the anterior-cruciate and medial-collateral ligaments in his left knee in a 42-10 win against James Madison and will have season-ending surgery next week.
Brown will return to the lineup at left cornerback, where he has started 32 of the 35 games he has played in. He sat out last season and redshirted when held out by school officials because of concerns about his eligibility.
The NCAA determined that Brown accepted $86.94 from a person regarded as an agent. The NCAA required Brown to repay the money and sit out against James Madison to regain his eligibility.
Coach Everett Withers said that Brown will be an immediate boost to the secondary, which had three new starters for the opener.
"Obviously he's got a bunch of experience," Withers said. "I think he will be a guy that will help solidify some things back there in the secondary. I'm happy for him, because I think he's been through a lot."
Ramsay was hurt in his first game back after missing the last nine games of 2010, also because of concerns about his eligibility. The NCAA declared Ramsay permanently ineligible last Nov. 15 but cleared him Feb. 17 after receiving additional information about his situation.
Ramsay was hurt on UNC's first offensive play of the third quarter while blocking for tailback Ryan Houston. He had one catch for 18 yards.
Quarterback Bryn Renner was upset Ramsay was injured after regaining his starting position.
"The kid can't get a break," Renner said. "I'm feeling for him. It's just killing me right now. My heart goes out to him and his family.
"I know we're going to be praying for his recovery. I know he's going to battle back from this and be a great NFL player because he's got that upside."
Withers said that UNC athletics officials are considering an appeal to the NCAA for a sixth season of eligibility for Ramsay, who redshirted as a freshman in 2007.
Senior Curtis Byrd, a former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship for this season, will become the starting fullback. He started six games after Ramsay left the lineup last season and caught 11 passes for 77 yards. Used mostly as a blocker, he did not run the ball.
"I've got all the confidence in the world in Curtis Byrd," Renner said. "He's worked his butt off since he's got here. I think the best thing that could have happened was him playing last year. He played in big games, and that helps me in the backfield."
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